10/05/2021
Pell Grants help nearly seven million low- and moderate-income students attend and complete college annually, but the purchasing power of the grant, which currently cannot exceed $6,495 per individual student, is at an all-time low. Doubling Pell will help close a growing gap between the cost of attending college and the grant's effective buying power. For instance, the maximum grant covered more than three-quarters of the cost of attending a four-year public college nearly 50 years ago, but now covers just one-third after decades of state budget cuts that drove up tuition, combined with flat household incomes over the same period.
Pell Grants make the difference between being able to attend college or not. Pell Grants are well-targeted to students with clear financial need: Nearly 90 percent of all Pell dollars go to students with a family income below $50,000, and are especially critical for students of color.
Students from low- and moderate-income families are in critical need of additional federal grant aid to pay for college. Doubling Pell will help more students attend college, earn a degree, get a good-paying job, and achieve a brighter future.
Congress is currently considering proposals to increase the maximum Pell Grant by a total of $1,875. While that represents an improvement, it does not go nearly far enough.
If you would like to petition for the . Scan the QR Code on page 2 or click the link in our bio, click "Double the Pell Grant" and fill out the petition. Go Huskies!
